The global audience for video games continues to surge, led by younger players who are spending more time on games and less time on video and other media. The second Bain Video Game Consumption Survey looked at how gamers spend their time and money. Gamers told us that they like immersive games and want more interoperability across devices and platforms. They’re also spending more time socializing, shopping, and consuming other media in game environments.

These trends are upending the industry’s dynamics as players identify more with the game and less with the device. Marketplaces could become the central focus for the customer relationship. Meanwhile, companies that grew out of a love for video games are now developing more mature capabilities so that they can compete with technology and media giants.

It's an exciting time for the industry, and no company can afford to wait and see if they want to protect their spot on the leaderboard.